Compassionate Activism
With Ven Robina Courtin: February 2020
It’s a commonly held misconception that spiritual practice and activism conflict. In fact, the logical consequence of successful practice is action for the sake of others; it just naturally follows. A bird needs two wings, Buddha says: wisdom and compassion.
The wisdom wing is the work we do on our own minds, the realization of our own suffering and its causes — karma and delusions — and living a life of discipline, self-awareness, and accountability. This brings contentment, confidence, and compassion, because now we realise we’re all in the same boat, we’re all suffering. Our actions, our activism — helping our next-door neighbour or helping stop the destruction of the planet — is now grounded in wisdom.
This brings optimism and confidence that every small action counts and the courage to never give up, no matter how difficult it is.
About Ven Robina
Ordained since the late 1970s, Ven. Robina has worked full time since then for Lama Thubten Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche’s FPMT. Over the years she has served as editorial director of Wisdom Publications, editor of Mandala Magazine, executive director of Liberation Prison Project, and as a touring teacher of Buddhism. Her life and work with prisoners have been featured in the documentary films Chasing Buddha and Key to Freedom.
If you have a good internet connection you can listen to them here by pressing the play symbol next to the teaching or you can download them to listen offline. To download a recording, RIGHT CLICK over the download button to right hand side of the recording and choose ‘download linked file’. The download should then begin.
Session One
Session Two
Session Three
Session Four
Session Five
Session Six
Session Seven
Session Eight
Session Nine
Session Ten
Session Eleven
Session Twelve
Session Thirteen
Session Fourteen
Session Fifteen
A Way to Say Thank You
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